Joe Mazzulla Discusses Dealing with Pressure: 'Finding the Freedom'

Bobby Krivitsky | Apr 12, 2024

Dec 7, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla against the Phoenix Suns. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Despite getting thrown into the fire and thrust from sitting behind the bench to becoming the NBA's youngest active bench boss at 34 years old and getting named the head coach of a title contender as training camp neared, the moment has never looked too big for Joe Mazzulla.

In his first season holding the clipboard, one he's described as being in "survival mode," the Johnston, Rhode Island native nearly helped the Celtics become the first team to erase a 3-0 series deficit.

The fact that it was the Eastern Conference Finals and Erik Spoelstra, widely hailed as currently being the best coach in the NBA, was on the opposite sideline adds to the impressive nature of Mazzulla and Boston's resilience.

Who knows, if Jayson Tatum didn't injure his ankle on the first play of Game 7, perhaps the Celtics would've completed their comeback, making league history en route to a second-straight trip to the NBA Finals.

Now, the C's second-year bench boss has had time to digest the lessons learned from last season, fill out a coaching staff that's gone from being on the small side to one of the best in the Association, featuring two of the NBA's top assistant coaches, Charles Lee and Sam Cassell.

The former West Virginia floor general is also placing more of his imprint on the Celtics, who are embracing his outlook on the game being connected and the importance of understanding the role what unfolds at one end plays on what happens at the other.

Dec 14, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla talks with Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, and Charles Lee. / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

He's also helping Boston win more on the margins. A prime example is the team atop the NBA standings, boasting a 62-17 record and having already secured home-court advantage for however long their playoff run lasts, leaning into what's become a league-wide trend of more consistently crashing the offensive glass, especially from the corners.

That's raised their floor by making it easier to circumnavigate when threes aren't falling, and, as Mazzulla discussed with Inside The Celtics, benefitted their transition defense.

And while he's showcasing more of his personality this season, a characteristic that came through in the previous campaign was the importance he places on understanding the intangibles so that he and his team can address them.

You don't reach the Eastern Conference Finals four times in six years, like the Celtics have done since Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown partnered, without being able to handle pressure.

Now in their primes, their maturation and Boston assembling the most talented top six in the Association helps that cause. But Mazzulla's ability to positively impact his team's mindset is a skill that comes from his inquisitive nature that will benefit the Celtics this year and beyond.

Jan 19, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla talks with forward Jayson Tatum. / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

As a franchise that has championship expectations and resides in the pressure cooker of a sports-crazed city, the New England native has a firm grasp on the pros and cons of that and the mentality needed to thrive under the scrutiny it invites.

"I could never imagine having a job where I wouldn't wake up & want to be the absolute best at it"

Joe Mazzulla talks with @ZoandBertrand about the pressure to win pic.twitter.com/DpwarlWIqc

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 10, 2024

"I could never imagine having a job where I wouldn't wake up and want to be the absolute best at it," Mazzulla conveyed in a recent appearance on Zolak and Bertrand on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

While there's more internal pressure applied to meet the most challenging moments, consistently be at their best, and ascend to the NBA's summit than externally, both exist, and one must deal with each properly.

"That's been the coolest moment about this job, is finding the freedom, and the peace, and the love, and the joy of that pressure," voiced Mazzulla. "And I feel like our guys this year, regardless of what's gonna happen, they have that freedom, that peace, that joy towards going after something that you love."

The second-year bench boss's ability to help him and the Celtics carry the weight of that is essential to raising Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters and how they would respond to achieving their ultimate team goal.

Further Reading

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Neemias Queta Inks New Deal with Celtics

Seldom-Used Celtics Reserve Showcasing Playoff Value

Jaylen Brown Shares What Latest Milestone Means to Him

Jaylen Brown Shares What's Fueling Career Year: 'Nothing in This World Gonna Break My Spirit'

Celtics Embracing Challenge to Go Beyond Most Talented

Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Sacrificing in Celtics' Title Pursuit: 'It's a Process'

Marcus Smart Shares How Boston Shaped Him, His Message to Celtics Fans

Celtics Maturation Molded by Experience: 'It Builds, Like, an Armor'

Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: 'Earn Everybody's Trust'

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics' Offense: 'Balance of Pace and Execution'